Being a Late Bloomer in the Cultivation World

At the same time, the Spiritual Qi around the mountain peak surged like a tide, swarming toward Wei Tu’s Tier Three Cave Mansion.

This immense Spiritual Qi formed a massive Spiritual Energy Vortex, which swirled above the Red River Mountain Marketplace.

"Someone’s undergoing Core Formation?"

The moment the anomaly appeared, all the cultivators outside their Cave Mansions in Red River Mountain subconsciously looked up, their faces filled with envy.

Foundation Establishment Cultivators were considered the backbone of any major influence.

But in times of war, Foundation Establishment Cultivators were, at best, just higher-grade cannon fodder than Qi Cultivators.

Golden Core Cultivators, however, were different.

No matter the influence, no matter the place, Golden Core Cultivators were indisputably high-level figures, the ones who held true power.

Foundation Establishment Cultivators were known as "Perfected Ones." But Golden Core Cultivators could be addressed as "True Monarchs."

The difference of a single word represented a world of difference in status.

The word "Monarch" implied the meaning of an emperor or a feudal lord.

"Who is undergoing Core Formation?"

At the same time, the seventeen Golden Core True Monarchs of the Loose Immortal Alliance, currently in their residence, also looked up in astonishment toward Wei Tu’s Cave Mansion.

They had no idea, as no one had ever reported to them that a Peak of Foundation Establishment Cultivator would be attempting a breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm today.

The next moment, several Golden Core True Monarchs flew out of the residence and arrived before Wei Tu’s Cave Mansion.

Among them was Che Gongwei, the master Wei Tu had taken several decades ago.

"Who entered this Cave Mansion for seclusion?" a green-robed cultivator with a jade ornament on his forehead asked, his gaze falling upon the Cave Mansion’s administrator who stood on the ground below.

The administrator was an old man in a gray robe, and his face was a mask of anxiety.

"It is True Monarch Che’s disciple, Wei Tu." The gray-robed elder had already investigated the matter the moment he saw the Core Formation anomaly, so he had prepared his answer and spoke without hesitation.

As he spoke, the gray-robed elder carefully snuck a glance at True Monarch Che.

"What? It’s Wei Tu?" True Monarch Che’s face fell in utter shock, completely caught off guard.

With his Qi Cultivation Skill, he normally wouldn’t lose his composure like this. It was just... the Golden Core Realm was simply too important.

True Monarch Che had never once imagined that the cultivator attempting Core Formation in seclusion this time would be Wei Tu, his newly accepted "eldest disciple."

’So his absence from the last few lectures was because he was preparing to break through to the Golden Core Realm?’ True Monarch Che wondered, recalling Wei Tu’s unusual behavior over the past few decades.

He had been suspicious about Wei Tu’s seclusion as far back as a dozen years ago.

However, it was taboo to disturb a cultivator during their seclusion, even for a master like himself.

Besides, as a venerable Golden Core Cultivator, he was an incredibly busy man. How could he constantly worry about such a trivial matter?

As time went on, he had put the matter to the back of his mind.

After all... if Wei Tu didn’t attend his lectures, it was Wei Tu’s own loss. What reason did he, the master, have to care?

"He’s your disciple, Fellow Daoist Che?" The green-robed cultivator glanced back at True Monarch Che, his eyes filled with curiosity.

Hearing this, True Monarch Che first nodded, then shook his head with a wry smile.

"Fellow Daoist Qi, even I had no idea this disciple of mine... possessed such ability, secretly preparing for Core Formation without a single word."

True Monarch Che felt he had lost some face and laughed self-deprecatingly.

A disciple entering seclusion for a breakthrough while his master remained completely oblivious—it was enough to become a joke in the Cultivation Realm.

The green-robed cultivator, True Monarch Qi, shook his head upon hearing True Monarch Che’s self-mocking words and offered some comfort, "The strategy we devised decades ago was to accept Independent Cultivators as disciples. These cultivators who join a master with their skills already developed weren’t raised by us from a young age, so it’s normal for them to be distant... You shouldn’t worry about it, Fellow Daoist Che."

As soon as he finished speaking, True Monarch Che considered this and felt it was reasonable, and his expression softened a little.

"However, with Wei Tu rushing into Core Formation this time, I’m afraid he will fail." After his mood settled, True Monarch Che began to worry about the outcome of Wei Tu’s Core Formation.

Regardless, Wei Tu had previously become his disciple.

If Wei Tu could succeed in solidifying his pill, it would mean he had gained a "Golden Core Disciple," and his own influence and prestige within the Loose Immortal Alliance would rise accordingly.

"I recall that this Wei Tu once went to the Hee Mountain Huang Family’s Yunze Secret Realm."

"This time, his breakthrough in seclusion is likely because he obtained a Golden Core Opportunity within the Yunze Secret Realm."

"Otherwise, given his temperament, he would never have attempted such a rash breakthrough in seclusion."

True Monarch Qi said with a faint smile.

Wei Tu alone wasn’t worthy of his full attention; what he was truly focused on was the Hee Mountain Huang Family, which held the inheritance of a Tier Three Array Master.

While keeping an eye on the Hee Mountain Huang Family, he had taken note of Wei Tu—the only cultivator to survive the last time the Yunze Secret Realm opened.

"I have no idea what method he used to evade Huang Xinglie’s detection," True Monarch Che remarked with a click of his tongue.

The thought that Huang Xinglie, another cultivator in the Golden Core Realm, had also suffered a great loss at Wei Tu’s hands couldn’t help but lift his spirits.

It meant he wasn’t the stupid one; Wei Tu was just too cunning.

"Although Wei Tu didn’t inform us about his seclusion for this breakthrough, he is the first cultivator from our Loose Immortal Alliance to be on the verge of breaking through to the Golden Core Realm since our arrival in Zheng Country..."

"We must act as his Protective Daoists."

After the small talk, True Monarch Qi’s gaze swept over the surrounding Golden Core Cultivators, and he spoke in a solemn voice.

The meaning of his words was plain to see.

Although Wei Tu had hidden his Golden Core breakthrough from them, which was somewhat improper, he was, regardless, a cultivator of the Loose Immortal Alliance. Officially, he was a disciple who had taken True Monarch Che as his master.

Furthermore, Wei Tu was a Zheng Country cultivator.

For the Loose Immortal Alliance, which had once been part of Jing Country’s influence, this identity was crucial.

Due to all these factors, the Loose Immortal Alliance had to act as Protective Daoists for Wei Tu.